


A riot, a stabbing, a mystery.

by LifeInWentworth



Category: Wentworth (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-10
Updated: 2013-09-06
Packaged: 2017-12-23 00:31:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 6,762
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/919862
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LifeInWentworth/pseuds/LifeInWentworth
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fanfic prompt: Erica gets seriously injured in a riot. Her engagement ring is missing. Franky makes it her mission to find out who hurt her while keeping her true feelings for Erica a secret from the others.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1 - Another Riot

Chapter 1 – Another Riot.

The prison had been pretty quiet for a while so a riot was well over due. It was impossible to tell how it even started. Of course, Franky was in the middle of it. Sort of. As usual, she was having harsh words with some of the women and as usual, Boomer and Kim were by her side to back her up if things turned nasty. God knows what was said but it was Simmo who threw the first punch and it happened so fast that Franky almost tripped over as she stumbled backwards.   
“What the fuck?” she spat a mouthful of blood onto the ground and hit back before Boomer grabbed her, pulling her away. Franky struggled the whole time, she didn’t like getting punched and if she did, she liked to fight back. Boomer let her go and Kim put her hands on her face, “fuck off, I’m fine,” she didn’t mean to be so harsh, but fuck, that had hurt. Why the hell had Simmo attacked her anyway? She wasn’t the one who had knocked Jacs in the end, anyway.

Franky looked around the yard, of course; there was Bea, out of the action, sitting with Doreen and Liz and a few of the other girls watching from the sidelines. That should have been it. But Franky had to admit, since Jacs had gone, things had gotten kind of boring, she liked a punch up every now and then and so she reapproached Simmo who had her back to Franky.  
“Oi,” she said, and as Simmo turned to face her Franky hit her square in the jaw, and the tables were turned except Simmo didn’t have quite the balance Franky had had and fell over. Franky should have let it go but all she had to think of was every time Erica would walk through the yard and pretend not to see her, about how she refused to acknowledge that she _had_ kissed back and that fucking engagement ring she persisted to wear on her finger. Franky hit Simmo until her own knuckles started to bleed and Boomer decided enough was enough, but by that stage Simmo’s friends had dived in and had a go at Kim, and well, Boomer was big but she couldn’t protect them both at once. She tried though, throwing Franky behind her and diving on whoever it was attacking Kim.   
Franky was agile though and threw a punch at anyone who came near her. Franky didn’t see who pulled a knife first but she swore, at herself more than anything, for not coming out with one. The truth of it was the girls liked to fight, even when they didn’t know why. Even Bea and her girls were approaching the mess, but so were the guards.

The women were all locked in their cells as the mess got sorted out. It seemed none of the women were seriously injured, a few stitches here and there. Franky was in medical getting stitches in her eyebrow when they bought the governor in. Franky knocked the nurse away and jumped off the bed, making her way into the corridor. Fuck, Erica looked bad. She was bleeding from the head and it looked like she’d been stabbed in the side from behind too. Franky tried to move closer but was pulled back to her own room. She didn’t feel any of the pain as the nurse stitched up her eyebrow and tended to her jaw and knuckles. Women were still being bought in with cuts, and this time it was Simmo’s turn; the nurse took one look at the glares between the two women and took Simmo to a separate room. Franky jumped up and made her way over to the governor.  
“What the fuck happened?” she asked Fletch, who had bought her in.  
“Franky, get back to your cell, you look all patched up.”  
“Who did it?” she asked, ignoring all instructions.  
“Franky, get out of here,” he pushed her away.  
She stood in the doorway momentarily, letting the image sink in.  
“Is she going to be okay?”  
Fletch actually turned and looked at her; she hadn’t hidden the genuine concern in her voice as well as she had hoped, “It’s serious,” was all he would say before he got someone to escort her back to her cell.

Kim was in her cell, playing with the ring she had found in the corridor during the riot. She was sure it was Erica’s, she’d seen Franky’s eyes fixated on enough times that she’d had time to have a pretty good look at it herself. Kim liked her and Franky’s relationship and the way it was; she really did. She just didn’t like the way Franky looked at the governor. It wasn’t the same look she gave Kim and she knew she wasn’t the only one beginning to notice. Jacs had known, there was no doubt about that, and she’d seen Liz watching the two of them interact a few times as well. Kim didn’t even know if Franky knew how clumsy she was getting. She wasn’t as suave as she used to be and her emotions were finally making their way to her eyes, her face. Kim put the ring in a box in her top drawer, and put her hands behind her head. It would be worth something, surely, when she was got out. She was being spiteful and she knew it but she had a theory; something had happened between Franky and the governor. It had to have, because Franky had changed.

“Kim?”  
Kim snapped out of her thoughts. There was Franky leaning on her door frame, but none of the usual behaviours; the flirtatious look in the eyes, the smirk, the i-know-just-what-you-want smile. Kim stood up, and brushed her fingers over Franky’s eyebrow, then her jaw.  
“Are you okay?” she couldn’t pretend not to care about Franky.  
Franky pulled her face away, “I’m fine, you?”  
Kim shrugged, “All good. Boomer’s a good bodyguard. She’s pissed you got away from her though.”  
Franky smiled, “She’ll get over it,” she hesitated, “the governor was bought in while I was in medical.”  
Kim resisted the urge to roll her eyes, “Oh.”  
“Yeah…looks pretty bad. Someone beat her, stabbed her. Fletch says it’s pretty serious,” Franky tried to sound casual but Kim could see right through that by now.   
“Do they know who it was?”  
Franky’s eyebrows creased, “No, I don’t think so. I didn’t even see anybody go inside. Did you?”  
Kim shook her head, “Nah, I was too busy throwing punches.”  
Franky nodded silently.  
Kim put out her hand and when Franky didn’t take it, sighed and grabbed it and pulled her over to the bed. She laid down and pulled Franky on top of her, letting her rest her head on her chest. Kim could hear the wheels churning in her head, she wouldn’t let this go, Kim knew that, she was already hatching up a plan on how she would figure out who had hurt her precious governor. Kim sighed, and ran her hands through Franky’s hair, even though she knew Franky probably didn’t feel it at all.


	2. Behind The Scenes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A quick briefing of the insides of Wentworth as the riot took place.

Fletch made his way back from the protection cells on the other side of Wentworth. He hated it there; he got depressed just going over there, god knows how prisoners actually lived there. Though of course, Erica had made it a tad more humane since coming but it still seemed like a shit way to live. But hey, he thought, some of the things these women had done were pretty damn shit too. An eye for an eye and all that.   
He got back to reception and things were hectic. Another riot. Just what the prison needed. Women were being bought in with cuts and bruises, nothing looking too serious but he rushed outside to help bring the rest of them in and lock them in their cells until things calmed down. 

Will was pulling Franky away from one of the other women when Fletch entered things. Good, he could finally leave this mess and get some of these women to medical. He wanted to get this riot under control and as in all situations like this, it never seemed there were enough guards to sort out a bunch of fighting women. It was mostly just a few punch up’s, a knife drawn here and there, but as far as he could nobody had been stabbed yet. All the same, he hardly wanted another riot taking place in Wentworth, and he certainly didn’t want it to end the same as the last one. He tried not to think about that as he escorted a few of the woman to medical.

Erica knew she was in trouble. She’d been rushing down the corridor, hearing the ruckus going on outside her office door. She hardly needed the announcements and sirens to tell her there was another riot. The prison was chaos, blood, swearing (she was sure she recognised Franky’s voice among those being hauled into medical) and fists flying everywhere. She headed down a relatively quiet corridor to get outside. She hadn’t even heard the footsteps behind her but she’d felt a hand grab her from behind, and before she could turn around the hand was over her eyes and there was a sharp pain in her side. Even though she couldn’t see, she felt the dark swell in as she crashed to the floor, hearing the footsteps rush away as she lost all consciousness.


	3. The interrogations begin...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Franky begins her investigation.

Chapter 3.

Franky yawned, trying to act a casual but her leg was jiggling and she hadn’t even noticed until Kim put her hand on it. Franky sniffed and looked around the yard. Of course, none of the guards were saying anything about Erica but she still wasn’t back at work and it seemed like Vera had taken over, which was somewhat of a joke. Plus visits to the governor’s office weren’t nearly as fun.   
“Boomer,” Franky cocked her head, beckoning her over.  
“Sup, Franky?” Boomer took a seat.  
“You see anyone go inside during the riot?”  
Boomer shook her head, “Nah, had my hands full keeping this one outta trouble, didn’t I?” she elbowed Kim gently.  
Franky nodded; she hadn’t expected any more from Boomer, really. She cast her eyes around the yard again, always observing. She hopped up and headed back towards the block.  
“Where you going? We still have halfa,” Boomer yelled.  
“I’ll be back,” Franky said.

Liz had a hell of a headache, and she knew why. She was on her knee’s and pulled out her bottom of drawer completely, resting it on her bed. She put her hand in the gap between the drawer and the floor.  
“Back on the booze huh, Liz?” Franky leant against the doorway in her cocky, I-see-everything kind of way.  
Liz placed the bottle back in the gap, “What do you want Franky?”  
“See anything during the riot?”  
Liz stood up, crossing her arms, “What sorta something?”  
Franky shrugged, “You see anyone go inside? Before the guards rocked up, I mean?”  
Liz shook her head, “Nup, didn’t see nothin’, Franky. Why do you wanna know?”  
Franky licked her lips, “Ah, something went missing from my room,” she lied.  
“What?”  
Franky shrugged, “Not your business is it? So you didn’t see anything? What about Bea, where was she at?”  
Liz shook her head again, “She wouldn’t steal your shit Franky. She’s above that.”  
Franky smiled, “Of course. She’d get her minions to do it aye? So what about Doreen then?”  
“We were all out in the yard, Franky. If you told me what’s missing, I could probably help you better.”  
“Yeah but you don’t really help me out anymore, do you Liz?” Franky almost growled, she could certainly still pull off that threatening scowl.  
“Things change, Franky.”  
Franky was still standing in the doorway, blocking Liz’s way. Liz didn’t do it, she wouldn’t. This was driving Franky crazy…On second thoughts, if she was drinking again… Franky grabbed Liz by the neck and shoved her against the wall. She was being paranoid, sure, but it was plausible… right?   
“Did you do it?”  
Liz frowned, “Franky, what are you talking about?”  
“Were you slammed? Maybe a drunken slip?”  
“You’re the one prone to accidents around here, Franky,” Liz replied coldly, knowing it was a mistake as soon as she said it; Franky tightened her hold on Liz, “are you talking about the governor? I didn’t do that, why would I? Why do you care anyway?”  
Franky looked Liz in the eye, “You got fucking wasted and what, payback for her taking away the peer worker position from you? Is that it?”  
Liz pushed her away roughly, “I didn’t do it, Franky. I was out watching the rest of you fight until Fletch came. He dragged you away first. I watched the guards struggle with Boomer, you know what she’s like, then Vera took Kim away and the rest of us were ordered to our cells. Enough?”  
Franky analysed Liz’s story for a moment, then let her go. She walked away right as the others returned. Kim bounced to her side as usual, but she pushed her away.  
“Going to read,” she muttered, turning into her cell.

Who the fuck would want to hurt Erica? Franky could think up a reason for everyone. After all, they were all prisoners. It had been two weeks and Erica still wasn’t back. The guards wouldn’t tell her anything but she wasn’t done trying.

Vera was struggling; she’d hated this job the last time she’d been forced into it after Meg’s death and she hated it now. Really, she wanted to be governor but when the reality hit her, she couldn’t stand the pressure. She crumbled. She stared at the pile of paperwork in front of her. She had no idea how Erica did it. And she always looked so fucking calm doing it too, so composed. Vera felt a jealous twinge, she took a deep breath; she could do this. It was just start at the beginning, simple, really. She picked the paper off the top of the pile and began filling it out. There was a knock at the door; or it would be simple if there weren’t so many fucking interruptions.  
“Come in,” she said, looking up; Franky Doyle. She sighed. This could be messy. She slid the paper away from her, “what is it Franky?”  
Franky had, of course, come prepared, “Well, I’m falling behind in my studies. I’m just wondering when E-, Miss Davidson is going to be back? You see, she’s my tutor and I know she’d hate me to be falling so behind and all – “  
“We can organise you another tutor, Franky,” Vera made to pick up the phone.  
“Well, when she’s going to be back? I mean, it can’t be much longer, right?” Franky asked, trying to keep the urgency out of her voice.  
“She won’t be back for at least another week,” Vera replied, phone still in hand.  
Franky nodded, “Well, fine. I’ll wait for her,” she didn’t think about how that sounded in her head, “I can wait,” or that, “it’s just another week, right?”  
Vera put the phone down, really just wanting Franky out of her office so she could get on with this paperwork.  
“Do they know who did it?” Franky asked casually. She hoped.  
“There’s an ongoing investigation,” Vera repeated a line she’d said about fifty times in the last two weeks.  
Franky bit her lip, “Meaning they don’t know shit. For a prison, the security sure is a piece of shit.”  
“Anything else, Franky?” Vera said coldly.  
Franky shook her head, “Enjoy it while you can aye,” she nodded her head to the paperwork, smirking.

Mark was driving Erica crazy. Fuck, she just wanted to go back to work to get away from him. But her side did still hurt, though she didn’t like to admit it. She hobbled around the house, finally forcing Mark to go to work after ten days of him at her side constantly. It was nice, she supposed, but, well, no it was just annoying. She was independent and she loved being that way. Sure the first few days she’d just slept, but she was up and about now, sort of. She guessed it wouldn’t be the best look for the governor to be hobbling around her prison clutching at her side. The truth was, for the first time since the kiss she wanted to see Franky. She was worried she would be doing something stupid in the prison now, because she’d seen the way that Franky had been looking at her of late; and it seemed to her to be more than just lust. That worried her. 

Rightfully so, she found out a week later as she returned to the prison to hear Franky was doing a short stint in solitary for getting into a fight with another prisoner. Erica took a deep breath and headed down to the solitary cells, hearing only the click click of her own high heels. Oh and the buzz of her own thoughts, of course.


	4. Returns and discoveries

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erica returns to work to find Franky in the slot and Kim finally speaks up.

“What are you doing?” Erica said.  
Franky looked around the cell mockingly, “Not much to do here, is there?”  
Erica shook her head, “That’s not what I meant and you know it. All these fights, I thought you were over that.”  
“Who hurt you? Are you okay?” Franky ignored the statement and just came out with it.  
Erica looked confused for only a second and then understanding hit her like a ton of bricks. She took a step forward and put on her best stern voice, “I swear to god Franky if this is about that – “  
Franky looked away, “Do you know? Who hurt you?” she repeated.  
Erica swore.  
Franky stood up, “Just tell me,” it was her turn to be stern, but Erica did it better. Franky’s voice was layered with anger and fear.  
“I don’t know,” she got out between gritted teeth, “there’s an investigation, it hasn’t turned up anything yet.”  
“Well doesn’t that sound familiar?” Franky rolled her eyes.  
“Leave it to the authorities Franky or you won’t just be in here for a couple of weeks,” Erica replied, almost threateningly.   
Franky shrugged, not answering. She was hardly about to make a promise she had no intent on keeping.

The truth was Franky had got into a fight, if you can call it that, with Doreen. She knew it was stupid but it could have been her, right? I mean, it was kind of Erica’s fault that the little grommet had been taken away. But as if; Doreen wouldn’t have the guts to do it. Plus her story meshed with Liz’s perfectly. That didn’t stop Franky from rough-handling her, and being caught out for it. After the riot, the guards were cracking down and Franky spent ten days in solitary.

Erica sighed, trying to get through the mess that Vera had managed to make of her paperwork. She was glad to be back at work, but she knew she had a task on her hands with Franky. She had been half-expecting it but the last thing she had needed was to come back to Franky in solitary. The truth was she was pissed too, and reminded of it every time she breathed in too deep and felt the pain in her side. She wanted to know who stabbed her too, of course she did. She couldn’t pretend it didn’t scare her just a bit walking amongst the woman now, knowing it could have been any one of them. But she was rational enough to know that she had to leave it to the police… So why was there that niggling thought in the back of her mind – that she wanted someone, anyone to find out who it was, that she wanted…someone to stand up for her, protect her…

“Governor, Franky Doyle to see you. She has been persistent why you’ve been away, something about the tutoring program,” Vera eyed the paperwork on Erica’s desk, not able to decide whether she was glad or not to be out of that job. Erica nodded, and Vera let Franky in, closing the door behind her.  
Franky sat down in the seat across from Erica, like she always did but there was a tension about her that didn’t used to be there.  
“I want to get back to my studies,” she said quietly.  
Erica nodded, dodging the issue was just fine by her, “Sure, have you been studying while I was away?” she couldn’t help but smile at Franky.  
“Away,” Franky played with the word, “right. Yeah, of course, I’ve kept up with the readings. Just not as fun without you quizzing me every week.”  
Again, Erica couldn’t help but smile, “Well we’ll meet in the library then, after lunch?” she made a mark in her diary.  
Franky frowned, “Where’s your ring?”  
Erica looked at her finger; the truth was she hadn’t even thought about the ring, the pain in her side had been her bigger problem, she couldn’t even remember noticing when her engagement ring had gone missing. Mark, of course, had turned the house upside down to no avail.   
“It’s…missing. During the riot I guess…”  
Franky bit her lip, “That’s what all the searches were for,” Franky nodded as she realised this was something she could use, to figure it out, “do you remember when it went missing?”  
Erica sighed, “No, I don’t. Franky, I’ve got things to do, I will see you this afternoon,” she stood up, motioning Franky towards the door.  
Franky nodded.

Kim knew things would get worse after the riot, and knew things would change after the governor returned. Of course, Franky had gone from solitary straight to Miss Davidson’s office and now she was ‘studying’ in the library with her too. Kim sighed. She had tried not to let it get to her, but every now and then she pulled that ring out of the box and smiled.   
Franky walked in. She did look a little more relaxed since the governor had returned, but that didn’t really make Kim feeling any better.   
“Hey,” she yawned, “what you doing?”  
“Nothing much,” Kim replied, “you done studying?”  
Franky nodded, “Yeah, done.”  
“And you’re not…investigating today?” Kim shot out, before she thought about it.  
Franky stopped in her tracks, “Investigating? I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she moved closer to Kim, “know what I’d like to investigate though,” she smirked, but Kim took a step backwards.  
“Really? You think I haven’t noticed? You’re trying to figure out who hurt Miss Davidson. It’s obvious, Franky,” it felt good for Kim to finally say it, but she knew she could very well be destroying her relationship with Franky.  
“What are you even talking about? Why would I do that?” Franky could herself but panicking but god, she was good at playing the dumb act.  
“Franky…,” Kim sighed, “you really want me to answer that?”  
Franky held her gaze for a moment but looked away, “Kim – “  
“Don’t bullshit me anymore, Franky. I know how you feel about her and,” Kim hesitated, “you should be careful, because I’m not the only one.”  
Franky was unusually silent for a few moments, “Kim,” she moved closer again, “it doesn’t mean I don’t feel for you, I just… I still want to be with you.”  
Kim laughed hoarsely, “As a back up? I thought I was okay with that, but…I don’t know anymore okay?”  
Franky could hardly blame Kim; she knew she was being used and she had had enough of that. That was fair enough, Franky was almost happy for Kim, that she wasn’t letting herself be pushed around anymore. But it didn’t make her nights alone in bed any warmer. And what she had said, that others were starting to clue in about her and Erica, hit her hard; the last thing she wanted to be seen as was the governor’s pet.

It didn’t even enter Franky’s mind to list Kim as a suspect in her head; maybe there was a little bit of love, or something that made her blind there, at least not until she found the engagement ring in Kim’s bedside drawer.


	5. Revelations.

Chapter 5.

Kim laughed, tossing the basketball through the hoop and proceeding to high five Boomer. She would usually note the absence of Franky on the courts but she was used to Franky spending more time on her own these days and she’d been even less present since their conversation nearly a week ago. She yawned and stretched her arms, sitting down on one of the benches to take a break. The sun was beating down today and she could feel the sweat on the back of her neck. She took a scull of water and went to head into the block.

Franky frowned, playing with the ring between her fingers. Her mind was buzzing. Why hadn’t she thought of it earlier? It made perfect sense. She beat herself up for not even thinking of Kim after their break up the other night. Why had she been so fucking blind? Now she was sitting on Kim’s bed, handling Erica’s ring gently between her thumb and forefinger. 

“Franky?” Kim stopped in the doorway when she saw what Franky was playing with, “it’s not what you think, Franky. Just listen to me.”  
Franky was on her feet and closed the door behind Kim. She placed the ring on Kim’s bedside table. Franky’s fists were clenched but she was trying to keep her cool, unsuccessfully. She pushed Kim up against the door.  
“Why the fuck would you take it out on her? It’s not her fault, is it? You know she discouraged it, I just don’t fucking understand – “  
“Franky, listen to me. I swear, it wasn’t me. I took the ring, that’s all. Come on, why would I risk my parole and try to kill the governor?” Kim was talking over Franky’s rants now but she knew that was the only way to talk to Franky when she was like this and she knew she was in for a lot of pain, and god knows what else, if she didn’t get her story out. It worked. Franky stopped talking for a moment.  
“You just took the ring? You swear? I swear Kim, if I fucking find out – “  
“Trust me Franky, I’m pretty sure I of all people know what you’re capable of,” Kim looked Franky in the eye, “I didn’t do it.”  
Franky loosened her grip and nodded. She picked up the ring and left the room wordlessly. 

“Governor,” Franky nodded at Erica as she pulled out her chair and took her seat opposite the governor in the library, “I’ve got a present for you.”  
Erica rolled her eyes as Franky delved her hand into her pocket and pulled out her engagement ring. Erica’s eyes widened, “Franky, where did you get that?”  
Franky shrugged, “Does it matter?” she smiled as Erica took the ring in her hands, “Aren’t you going to put it on?”  
Erica bit her lip and cleared her throat, “Maybe later. Franky, tell me where you got it from.”  
“She didn’t hurt you, she just took it out of spite or something.”  
“Franky,” Erica said sternly.  
Franky sighed, “It was Kim. But she didn’t stab you.”  
Erica frowned, but nodded, “Okay.”  
Erica was grateful for Franky’s efforts, but in truth the ring was just a reminder of the life that was never to be. She and Mark had had an argument, a fight, maybe the fight the night before. Mark had stormed out of the house and hadn’t come back. When she woke up, he hadn’t come back and a part of her was glad. That’s when she realised she didn’t want him back.

Franky was tired after studying. Or maybe she was tired from trying to figure out who had hurt Erica. It had been weeks and in reality, she hadn’t turned up a bloody thing. Nobody had seen anything, everybody’s stories seemed to mesh, even the girl’s from Jacs old teams agreed with the details she’d got from Liz and Doreen. She was looking forward to crashing out in her cell and reading a good book, maybe listening to a few tunes on the ipod she had had smuggled in. Which is why she was disheartened to see Doreen leaning on her doorframe.  
“Not in the mood Doreen,” she said, walking straight past her to her bookshelf.  
Doreen followed her in, “I know who did it.”


	6. Answers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> some answers at last...

Chapter 6 - Answers.

“Did what?” Franky crossed her arms, standing intimidatingly close to Doreen.  
“I know who stabbed the governor. That’s what you’re trying to find out, right?” Doreen looked nervous.  
Franky bit her tongue; was Doreen playing with her? Why would she be? Fuck it, she wasn’t getting answers anywhere else.  
“Maybe,” she shrugged, “what do you know?” Franky tried to keep the shake out of her voice.  
Doreen shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other and looked over her shoulder, clearing her throat. “Bea sent me inside…just to get a guard. She didn’t want the riot getting out of control like last time…” she trailed off.  
Franky rolled her eyes at that, Bea the do-gooder, “What? What did you see?”  
“The guards already knew something was happening, they were on their way out. Will and Vera rushed past me, then Fletch. The area vacated pretty quickly and then I saw....” Doreen paused, “I saw Toni.”  
“Toni?” Franky couldn’t keep her mouth shut, “well where the fuck did she come from?”  
“I don’t know,” Doreen was almost hysterical now, “I don’t know. She was just there and she was crying and panicking, she had blood on her hands.”  
Franky lost her voice for a moment and simply blinked at what Doreen was saying, “Toni?” she repeated, “how the hell was she out of protection? Did she tell you she stabbed Erica, um, Miss Davidson?”  
“I don’t know, she didn’t say how. She said she was going crazy in there, all by herself, all the time. She was ranting,” Doreen was ranting herself, “about Miss Davidson, saying it was her all her fault. Something about that teacher giving her drugs but Miss Davidson made her lie about it, and then Jacs made her lie, she said Miss Davidson should have protected her, all of us, better and that it was her fault that Kaiya got taken away. She was hysterical…”

Franky thought that when she found out who had hurt Erica, she would just snap. And maybe that was coming, but for now she felt like she could hardly move, though she was somewhat aware that her clenched jaw was beginning to hurt and her nails were digging into her palms.   
“And you didn’t think you’d tell anyone?” the anger did slip into her voice.  
Doreen looked at the ground, “I wanted to protect her. She’s Kaiya’s mum, Franky. How can I let her go away for any longer than she already is?”  
“How can you let Erica be stabbed? She could have fucking died, Doreen,” Franky spat.  
Doreen had known there must be a reason for Franky working so hard to find out what had happened to the governor, but she’d never heard that kind of caring in Franky’s voice before, especially towards any kind of authority in Wentworth. This was the woman who liked to give shit and give attitude to anyone and everyone, and who, yes was loyal and always willing to protect her family, but she rarely said a caring word to anyone. People just knew, or assumed that Franky cared, she never told them with words.  
“Fuck off, Doreen,” Franky pushed past her and left her room; Doreen could only guess where and the guilt overcome her as she let the tears out. The truth was she’d been feeling guilty about Miss Davidson being hurt, but Toni was Kaiya’s mum; how could she betray her? At the same time, Franky was on this mission, what would happen if…no, when Franky found out what happened? And what if she found out that Doreen had known? What would Franky do then, Doreen could only guess… And then Kaiya could be left with no-one.

There was a knock at Erica’s door.  
“Come in,” the governor said.  
“Franky Doyle to see you governor. She says it’s urgent,” Will stated.


	7. Resolutions and new beginnings.

“It makes sense, doesn’t it?” Franky was tense and pacing the governor’s room.  
Erica knew she should be thankful that Franky had even come to her office first; not that she’d be able to get much further. Her theory was that it was Toni that had stabbed her. Erica was so focussed on keeping Franky calm that she could hardly process the possibility that her theory was sound. Somewhere, inside her mind she knew Toni had every reason to hold a grudge against the governor. And, just for a second, she wondered how much Franky knew now. As if that was the most important thing in this situation. She scolded herself for even thinking about it. She still had no idea what Franky’s logic was behind even thinking this. She tried to get a grip on the situation  
.  
“Franky, how did you even – “  
“It wasn’t anybody in the blocks, I’m sure of it,” Franky got out between gritted teeth.  
“We don’t know that Franky, the investigation is ongoing – “  
“The investigation is a piece of shit. I…,” Franky hesitated, but fuck it, Erica was smart, she knew it anyway, “my investigation says it was nobody in the blocks. Doreen says she saw it.”  
Erica was standing now too but determined not to get into a screaming match with a prisoner, “Doreen hasn’t bought that to anyone else, Franky.”  
“Of course she hasn’t, she thinks she has to protect Toni. Come on, you know whose investigation has been more pro-active, Erica.”  
“Your investigation doesn’t mean anything to the legal system,” she said tiredly.   
“What about to you?” Franky challenged, that slightly defiant look in her eye blended with tenderness.  
Erica looked at Franky, who had her hands knitted behind her head, she looked about ready to snap and Erica instinctively moved out from behind the desk, but stopped herself from moving any closer to Franky, who looked at her with those eyes.  
“Franky, it doesn’t matter what I think – “  
“Whose side is it that’s still bandaged, huh?” Franky closed the gap a little more, “just let me in with Toni, two minutes, I swear to god I’ll make her confess.”  
“Franky,” Erica got her stern voice back, “we are not dealing with it that way. And that’s final.”

Surprisingly, Franky, after hesitating for only a moment, nodded. She moved closer again to Erica, and put her hand out slowly, placing it on the governor’s waist. Erica sighed that same way she did every time Franky flirted with her, but she didn’t move away. She grabbed Franky’s hand pulling it off her waist and begin to push it away, but held it mid-air, while Franky looked at her with those big dark, eyes staring at her like nothing else existed.  
“Let me get Doreen in for questioning, okay?” Erica said softly.  
Franky nodded and for a moment, neither of them moved. Erica broke away first, and replaced the desk as the barrier between the two of them. She took a seat. She looked exhausted. Franky turned towards the door, hand on the handle when she looked back at the governor.  
“How could she have been free to get into this area, anyway? I thought protection was more secure than that.”  
Erica sighed and ran a hand through her hair, “So did I. Doreen won’t be the only one in question,” she paused, “but Franky, you let me handle this.”  
Franky swallowed, “You know I just want to protect you Erica.”  
Erica dropped her shoulders, in that way she did when Franky took her by surprise by saying something so, simply…sweet, “I know,” she nodded, a small smile on her lips.

Erica sat with her head in hands. She had meant to help these women, she really had. She knew she had done the wrong thing by Toni, she had put her own shit ahead of hers, she had lied and she had forced a prisoner into lying. Hell, she’d even forced Franky to be taken into the slot. It was her fault. So she could kind of understand why Toni had just confessed to stabbing her. But it was her other statement that hit her around. “Yeah, I’m sorry. I’m sorry the bitch is still alive.” Of course, they hadn’t let her in the interview room, but she had still been able to hear every word. 

She knew she had to deal with Franky. Toni had been taken away, and there was little chance that she would make it back to Wentworth, so there wasn’t much Franky could really do, but Erica still felt like she owed it to Franky to talk to her. She wiped her eyes just as there was a knock at the door.  
“Franky Doyle to see you, governor.”  
Erica nodded and gestured for Franky to sit across from her. She did, sitting up straight for once, crossing her arms as Vera left, closing the door.  
“We all saw her walked out. I was right, wasn’t I?” Franky said, studying Erica’s eyes.  
Erica nodded, “Yes,” was all she could make herself say.  
“Will she come back here?” Franky questioned.  
“No. No she’ll be transferred, Franky,” Erica replied before hesitating. She took a deep breath, “Franky, you did it in the wrong way, but I am grateful.”  
Franky nodded, “Have you been crying, Erica?”  
Erica shook her head, “No, no,” she smiled but couldn’t plaster it on for long, “well, maybe a little. Just a big day day, that’s all.”  
Franky nodded, “Are you okay?”  
The governor nodded, “I’m fine. Franky,” Erica coughed, almost simply stall what she’d been wanting to talk about for months, “you understand now…why you got blamed for the drugs?”  
Franky chewed the inside of her lip, “Yeah. I get it. You were protecting yourself, you knew who gave Toni the drugs,” Franky shrugged, “I guess they were more important to you than me,” she ended softly. She hadn’t wanted it to sound harsh, but out loud it did.  
Erica sighed, “No. That’s not true at all, Franky.”  
“Then why would you protect them?”  
“I was protecting myself,” Erica snapped, standing up, “I hired a staff member. They dealt drugs. It was right as I was going for the position of governor, I was a step away from getting it or losing it. I panicked.”

Franky looked at Erica pacing behind her desk. She didn’t question what the governor was saying for a second. It made sense. She knew Erica wanted that job, she knew Erica was a career woman, she wanted the power as much as she claimed she wanted to help the woman, maybe more even. Franky didn’t know. She wished it could make her mad, but it made her sympathise for Erica, because of the way her eyes looked and the way her voice broke with shame. She knew it was wrong, and how could Franky possibly judge anyone who made a shitty decision in a split-second situation. It was different but it was the same.  
“Franky? Do you hate me?” Erica asked softly, stopping still.  
Franky smiled wryly, “Maybe I should, but I don’t.”  
Erica’s eyes closed and she breathed a sigh of relief. She smiled and walked around the desk, “Good,” she nodded, leaning back on the desk in front of Franky.  
“Do you hate me?” Franky asked back.  
“Why would I hate you?” Erica frowned.  
Franky shrugged, “Because, maybe I was a little too…rough when I kissed you.”  
Erica looked away, biting her lip down, “You weren’t,” she spoke so low it was almost a whisper.  
Franky nodded and stood up slowly. She approached the governor cautiously, she placed a hand on Erica’s, which was laying on top of the desk.  
“You haven’t put your ring back on,” Franky whispered.  
“No, I haven’t,” Erica whispered back, raising her hand to the prisoner’s face. Franky needed no more encouragement that and leaned in, placing her lips on the governor’s, who didn’t resist this time but instead took her other hand off the desk and placed it on Franky’s jaw as she parted her lips.


End file.
